The present invention relates to a guide tab for pushing a slide lock latch for disengaging a slide member from a slide or for engaging a slide member to a slide and to a slide incorporating the same.
Slides which are used to slidably couple drawers to a cabinet or desk consist of two or more members, a stationary member and at least one telescoping member. The stationary member is typically mounted in a cabinet or desk, while the telescoping member is connected to a drawer slidably coupling the cabinet or desk. Two slides are typically used to couple the drawer to the cabinet or desk, one on either side of the drawer.
A three member slide has an intermediate telescoping member slidably engaged by means of ball bearings fitted in bearing retainers with a stationary member and with a telescoping member to enable longer drawer extensions. In a two member slide, the telescoping member is coupled to the stationary member by means of ball bearings fitted in a bearing retainer. The ball bearings ride on bearing raceways formed on each slide member.
To allow for the drawer to easily disconnect from the cabinet or desk, the telescoping members of the slide are made so that they can easily disconnect from the slide. Typically, it is the telescoping member connected to the drawer that is made to easily disconnect from the slide. A lock latch is typically mounted on the telescoping member. The latch engages an end of the slide member coupled to the telescoping member. To disconnect the telescoping member from the slide, i.e., to disconnect the drawer from the cabinet or desk, the latch on each slide telescoping member on either side of the drawer is pushed in while the drawer is pulled open, releasing the telescoping member from the remaining member(s) of the slide. Similarly, the reconnect the telescoping member to the slide, the lock latches on both telescoping slide members must be pushed in to allow the telescoping members to slide within the appropriate members of the slides.
When a person pushes the latch with his/her finger to allow the telescoping member to reconnect to the slide, it is not uncommon for such person to get his/her finger pinched between a slide member and the lock latch. The present invention provides for a guide tab that allows for one to disconnect or reconnect to a telescoping slide member to a slide without pinching his/her finger.